A substrate processing apparatus includes a stage for supporting a substrate in a depressurizable processing chamber. The stage has a function of controlling a temperature of the substrate. An example of the stage is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-104113.
The stage disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-104113 has an electrostatic chuck for attracting and holding a substrate. A cooling plate is attached to a bottom surface of the electrostatic chuck through an adhesive layer. A flow channel through which a coolant circulates is formed in the cooling plate. The stage controls a temperature of the substrate held on the electrostatic chuck by circulating the coolant through the flow channel formed in the cooling plate.
Generally, a material forming the adhesive layer has low thermal conductivity. Therefore, when the adhesive layer is provided between the electrostatic chuck and the cooling plate as in the case of the stage disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-104113, the efficiency of heat exchange between the electrostatic chuck and the cooling plate is decreased. Accordingly, in this technical field, it is required to increase the efficiency of heat exchange between the heat transfer medium and the electrostatic chuck in the stage.